Automobile-signal.



E. A. AROLAN.

AUTOMOBILE 51mm,

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13. I917.

1 ,27 7, 1 7 1 Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

ssnzz'Ts-snsm M47072 5mm 1 w I v E. A. AROLAN AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.APPLICATION FILED JUL! 13. l9l]. 1,277.17-1 PatentedAug. 27, 19181 2SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. A. ARULAN.

AUlOMOBlLE SIGNAL.

APPLICAHON mEu JULY 13 19m.

latelflted Aug. 27

SHEET 3.

3 SHEETS-- by n " ehnracter whereby traliic. up reaching and Vfollowing' a vehicle equip tail ignnl (levu.

'stand how tomnke'nn U N fIKIlED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST A. ABOLAN, OI KINGSTON, NEW Y OBK.

AUTOMOBILE-SIGNAL.

w n or w n l-atvinami 27, 1918.

Application filed July 13,1917. Serial No. 180,26 6.

improvements in automobile nals and: has

for its object to provide atelice of this 'roved a1 nal wiltbe nnfi'eqpi the lnten ions of t 1e o )emtor=.: r'.drivei', I 3

Another ob ectof; ny,invention.1s to pr ide' two signal gde'vleesonetloca 'ted at ear1 provide a eontroller a'dapted to rotate the' glasscylinders in thesig'nal device, a the lamps in the signal device,njdlcatethe 'difierent positions of, the e v mplete 'the circuitthrl'iuglr linders with the" -inrjications'thereon and he d tthesa doylln d'ils in any of their dlflerent ad usted post io'ns;

eonsists in 'the' details of 'eonstruqtiori and eombi'nution of elementshereinafter set ,forth end then specifically designated bythe''whichthisinyntion a pertains may underuse the s'anie, I .will

deseri i its construction in detail referring $01 315 to thenreompanyin'g (lra'wings forini g a part of this application in whieh-Fi 'ure 1, is a side elevation of an automobi e, a portion thereof beingbroken away indicating the relative positions of the different elementsof the signal.

York, have invented new and useful )0. H with thy nu- -"iInordei'fthatv'thoee skilled in the art to,-

. Fig. .2. is a front elevation thereof with the upprr part broken away.

Fig. 3. is a rear view of the automobile with the upper portion brokenaway.

Fig. 4, is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of one of the signaldevices. v Fig. 5 is an end view thereof with the ca removed.

Fig. (i, is a side elevation of the ca Fig. 7 is anemi view of the signndevice.

.' lig. 8. is'an'end view of one of the glass r M here shown a} mi I h(l is st mama. of the signal devices-3f while tojsonie-ronvenient pan ofthe i'ehieleiat thefrrur end thereof is n'rd unother sigin'nlflev' (levice'l ispreferably-attaehedflto one of .he mad igna rile iin'-airi'zontiil nmin's of attachin; uj's or ii the housing (if: ,hi'ehf\irovhh-(l w th-a sight oil ening 7 having suiti aletransparent.lnateria of "lass 8 disposed across 'the some.

(ljnrent one end of the housing is kiciitlal 5 (harried by a partition 9whit-h projelfts below the lower portion of tbe'hou. i in and formsoneof the walls of the gear (using 10. and to the outer face of thispartition is-srcurrd a suitable braeket 11 carrying an upwardlyBrojecting lug 12. In theparlilion and the 'r'aeket 11 is journaled ashaft 13 rurnviug an enlargement Hat its outer enil tn which is attachedone end of the coil spring 15. the other end of said springbeingattached to the bracket.

11 so that whonthe sha ft 13 is revolved in ieiie ein-j convenient.

4.: The signal posi ion by r nope-n t both encls such as a sheet.

ill)

one direction, the s ring will be wound up to revolve said sha t in theopposite direction when the pressure on said shaft is removed. The innerend of the shaft projects through the partition 9 and has fast thereon agear 16 partly located in the gear casing 10 and partly in the housingof the signal device. On the shaft 13' between thebracket and partitionis secured a cable drum 17 about which is coiled a' cable 18 having oneend made fast to the cable drum. withits other end fastened to thecontroller as will be hereinafter more fully described. The gear 16meshes with another gear 19,fast on the trunnion 20 which is carriedbythe end cover 21 and journaled in the partition 9. The end cover 21 anda cylinder end cover-.22 are threaded on the ends ofthe glass cylinder23 and the end cover 22 is providedcwith a trunnion 24 which projectsinto the glass 1 cylinder 23 and is provided with a socket 25 for thereception of the electric light bulb 26. The trunnion 24 also acts as,oneof the members of the electrical connection with theelectric lightbulb, and another or plug member 27 is detachablylconnectedtheretoattached the to the lamp. The Irunnion 24 is journale inthejremovlocated adjacent the "opposite end of the housing, the same"being cured to the cap 32 moun lock bayonet slots, and thiscap isrovided with an opening 33 in its flange a apted to aline with an'opening 34 in the housing 6, so as to form a passageway for the wire'28.

I On the opposite end of the housing is placed a. cap 35 held inplace'by a screw 36 pas sing through said cap and threaded into the luginstance, an arrow 12. This cap is providedwith, an 'oifset' 37 so as toprovide a chamber for the s ring '15 and theouter end of the shaft 13 analso as a slot 38 formed therein for the-free pas- 18 and thisslotalines with a portion of thecutaway part atone end of the housing asindicated by 39, On the glass i cylinder 23 are a number ofindicationmarks sage of the cable 40 consisting of words, letters,arrows or other suitable marks' which indicate the intentions of theoperator of the vehicle as for pointing to the right, indicates that thevehicle is to be turned to the right. an arrow pointing to the leftindicates that the vehicle is to be turned to the left, the letter S orthe word Stop indicates that the vehicleis to be stopped and so on.

The other signal device 3 is identical in construction with the signaldevice 4 with adapted to plates act as'a clamp, V i I 1 I v ce 3runs acable 49,

the exception that the attachin ears or lugs 41 arecarried by oneend ofIt ehousing 6 so that when thesignal-device-is attached to the vehicle,it is in a horizontal instead of a vertical position, and the cap 35 isentirely eliminated. 'To the attaching ears or lugs 41 issecured a plate42 by suitable attaching means, such as screws 43, and this plate is bebolted to some suitable portion of the vehicle at the front endthereoffas for instance, thedistance rod 44 between the head lights, andalthough I do not wish to be limited to theexact means-or way of fas-'toning the plate 42, Ighave shown one construction in which saidfplateis. providedwith a groove45;and havlngranother or coacting .plate. 46.provided -with a similar groove47, the two platestbein gffastened to-'gether about ,the (11513111103 rod. which registers with the grooves bymeansof bolts 48.

passing through both plates'so that said From thi signalldevi similar tothe cable 18 both cables being guided by grooved .gui'deor' anl'emembers 50 attachedto difierent parts o :the vehicle change the" endof said 1posti'52 -pro floor that the arms 51min, theend s of the cablesattached theretolare ientirely out I ofsight.-- On sa id post 52agljac'ent .itsupper end is mounted a crank or'handle 5 5-inwh1ch v isslidablyinounted theshank 3611f the contact shoe-57, said shoe beingnormally forced downward by a spring 58 coiled about the shankfifi'wi'th one end 'engagingfthe handle '55 as the stationary member-and;the other end engaging: the contact shoe 5711s the mov On the other endof the shank able member. I I 56 is threaded-amoeba whereby 'theshoe 57may be adjusted' and the' tension cof: the

spring 58 regulated: 5 The loweiend2of1the;

shank 56- or the"contact "shoe- 19 provided and lOcatedMherever 1t l iscourse of the,cab le, 'one of :said I guide members being LplainlyjI-shown in I One endoff eachof th gtflbles' 18: and t9 i is secured -:tothe outer or fr'ee, 'endsI f j the with a nose60 arranged to'registerwith any oneof a nunib'er of indentations (Shin aplate "62 secured tothe floorfof the automobile,v and to this plate; is: seoured two stripsof insulation inaterial 63=and 64, 'said strips of niaterialbeing spacedapart a sli'ght, distance at their meeting ends sotha-t when thecontactshoe 57 overlies 'the strip of insulation material 64, saidshoe'is in-neutral position; Over] ying the other strip of material 63and having one end secured thereto is a. spring contact 65 beingfastened at one end as by a screw 66, while the other'end of said springcontact member is bent downward and outward to form a tongue 67 whichregisters with a slot 68 in the stri of insulation ma terial 64, therebypermitting the spring contact member 65 to move up and down withincertain limits without becoming accidentally dis laced.

1 f found desirable, the different positions of the glass cylinders orthe indications of the signals may be designated by suitable indicationdevices 69, such as words describing the ditl'erent movements being madeor to be made by the vehicle, and one of these indication devices isopposite each one of the indentations 61. The controller or controllingswitch consists of the-arms 51, the ost to which they are connected, theban le 55, the contact shoe 57, the plate 62 having the indentations 61therein and the 5 ring contact 65. The contact shoe 57, t e springcontact 65, and the lamps in the si al are all electrically connected asby wires 28 with the source of electrical energy 70, so that thespringhcontact65, the work is completed through t e electric light bulbsin both the signals so that the indications may be readily noted bPt'LSOIlS approaching'or following a'vehic e equipped with my improvedsignals. v

The operation of the device is as follows:

When a person drivin a vehicle equipped with'my improved signaapproaches a street other locality. on y a roadway driver, and if saidintentions are to straight ahead, the handle of t e controller is turneduntil the contact shoe which also acts as a pointer reaches the properindication device 69, such as the word,

Straight at which time the nose will register with one of theindentationstwl indicating to the driver that the proper point has beenreached and the handle contact shoe 57 and the arms 51 will betemporarily held all gages the spring unwind the cables in thisposition. In 0 rating the controller as before described, t 1e contactshoe 57 encontact 65, and completes the electrical circuit throu h thelamps 2'6 in the signal device, thus ighting up said signal device, andthis movement also changes the positions of the arms 51-which from thecable drums 17 in, the signal devices, which unwinding of the cablesrotates the cable drums and likewise the shaft 13 in each signal device,lhcrcby transmitting rotary motion through the gears 16 and 19 and theglass cylinder ii-l which will move the proper indication mark -l() onsaid glass cy inder into alinement with the sight opening 7 in thehousing so that said indication mark may be readily seen by approachingand following traflic when the contact shoe 57 engages which projectsinto and as the indication marks will be identical or the meaning thesame in each signal device, all other traflic on the roadway will knowexactly the intentions of the driver of the vehicle.

During unwinding of the cables from the cable drums 17, the 5 rings 15in each signal device will be wound up so that when the pressure isreleased from the handle 55 of the controller or said handle returned tothe neutral position as indicated in Fig. 10, then the springs 15 willunwind and return the glass cylinders to the neutral or clear posi'tion. If the controller is turned to the position indicated by the wordRight then the glass cylinders are moved as hereinbcfore describeduntil'the proper designation marks, such as an arrow pointing to the riht on the rear signal device and the letter Ii on the front si al deviceas moved into alinement with t ie sight opening in the casing where saiddesignation marksmay be readily noted, and at the same time the elecftrical circuit will be com letedso that in case of darknes, the aig'naindications may be read, during the time the electric current may beshut off inany suitable and well known manner so, asnot to be usedduring the periods whe'u'it is absolutelyunneces- 3f course, -I do notwish to be' limited to the exact details of construction as 'hereinshown as these may be varied within the limits of the appendedclaimslfwithout departing from the spirit ofm invention.

Havm thus fully descri myiinvention,

what I c aim as new and patent'abla is 1. In a device of the characterstated, a-

tion andprojecting through said partition into the interior of, thehousing, a" spring secured to the shaft and bracket for normally forcinsaid shaft in one direction, a cable drum ast on said shift, a gear alsofast on the inner-end of said shaft, a transparent cylinder withintheihousing, said cylinder; having designation marks thereon adapted tobe sighted 'thiough the sight opening in. the housing, an end tachab ymounted on each end of the'cylinder, a trunnion-on sigch and cover, oneof t ecylinder, a gear car ried by the other trunnion, a removablepartition located at the other end of the housing, said trunnio beingjournaled in the partitions with the gears in mesh, a washer for spacingthe removable partition from cover del --jecting: v-riorr-o eshaftzandbracket for normally forclngsaid the adjacentend cover of thetransparent cylinder, acap for closing that end of the housing where theremovable partition 'is located, springs carried by said cap andengaging the removable partition for normally forcing the latterinward,a source of illumination carried by the trunnion which pro- -jects intothe cylinder, and attaching means carried by 'the housing for fasteningthe same to an object,

.2. EInta device of the character stated, a

chousingopen at each end and provided with a sightopening, a sheet oftransparent material disposed across said sight opening, a gearcaslng,at one end of the housing, a per- JUQLIIQDt partition located adjacentone end of the: housing and forming one of the walls 7 of the gearcasing, a bracket secured to the permanent partition, a shaft journaledin the bracket v,and perma ncnt I partition and prothrough saidpartition into the intethe housing, a spring secured to the i shaft inone direction, .a cable drum fast on of saida shaft, a transparentcylinder within said-shafnra igear also ,fast on the inner end thehousing said cylinder having designa- 'vtion markstthereon adapted tothrou'ghithe sight opening in the housin -.*2

sighted.

an endcover detachably .rnounted oneac cndpfathe cylinder, a trunnion oneach end oneof which project's intovthe cylinear-carried by the othertrunnion, a ble partition located at the-other end rousing," sa-idtrunnions beinglijournit ".isher for spacing' the removable transparentcylinder,a cap for closing that endiofrthe housing where the removable:r partitionis located, springs carried by said capiand engaging therelnovable.partition for, normally forcingithe latter-inward, a

-sourcelof'illumination carried by the trunnionjw'hich ,projectsinto'thecylinder, an-

-.\otl1er cap for closing the opposite end of the housin'g,saidcap'havin'g an offset tOPIOVldB geo timber for the end ofYthc shaftand the ing'fronilthe housing for fastening t to. an iobject.

. 3.;QAEsi'gIIeI-wmprising a housing having zspring thereon andattaching, lugsapmjecte same aisig htzopening therein, a permanentpart1- ti0n-,Withinisaid housing adJacent one .end

thereof aremovable partition within said hOusingad acent the: oppositeend, a glass cylinder,-Lend covers having threaded engagement with theends of said cylinder,

controlled.

e partitions with, the" gears in from the adjacentgend cover of the.located within the glass cylinde ingjand trunnions carried by said endcovers and gagement with the ends of said cylinder,

.runnions carried by said end covers "and journaled in the partitions,designation marks on the glass cylinder, a gear fast on one of saidtrunnions, a bracket, a shaft journaled in said bracket and thepermanent partition and having one end projecting through saidpartition, a gear fast'on said shaft and meshing with! first named gear,a drum fast on said shaft, as ring connected to said shaft and the bracat for revolVingIthe shaft inone direction, a cable vonnd about the drumand means tol v vhich the'cable is attachedwhereby the rotary movementsof the glass cylinder may be 5; A signal comprising a housing having asight o ening therein, a permanentipartition wit iin said housing jdmcent IpneQ-end thereof, a removable partition within said N housingadjacent the" opposite end, ,a glass of said trunnions, "albrac et, ashaft jourcylinder,end co\ e1-s'; ha\'in threaded en- Qgagement with thefends o said cylinder, I trunnions carried .by said {and covers andjourfnjaled in the partitions;designation rnarks naled in saidbracketfand the permanent partition and having one end projectingthrough said partition, a gear fast on sai shaft and meshing withthefirst namedgear, a drum faston saidshaft, a spring connected to said shaft and the bracket for revolvin the shaft in one direction, a cablewound about thedrum, anelectric light billb' means for fom ing anelectric circuitincludmg the elecitricili'ght bulb and a controller towhich the rob cable is attached for controlling the move ments of theglass cylinder, said controller also. being in the electrical circuitfor makcylinder is rotated. i

In testimony whereof, I have fixed my signature. 7

ERNEST A. AROLAN.

-eaking the same whenthe glass hereunto 'af-.

